Bringing Trauma Education to the Frontier: Overcoming Distance Barriers Utilizing a Virtual Platform

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons and state regulations mandate that trauma facilities offer trauma-specific continuing education throughout the region they serve. These requirements come with unique challenges when serving a rural and sparsely populated state. A novel approach to providing education was necessitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, travel distance, and limited local specialists. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to describe the development of a virtual educational program used to improve access to quality trauma education and decrease barriers to obtaining continuing education hours inherent in the region. METHODS: This article describes the development and implementation of the Virtual Trauma Education program, which provided one free continuing education hour per month from October 2020 to October 2021. The program reached more than 2,000 viewers and established a method to provide continuous monthly educational offerings throughout the region. RESULTS: After the Virtual Trauma Education program implementation, monthly educational attendance increased from an average of 55 to 190. Viewership data indicate that trauma education across our region is far more robust, available, and accessible using a virtual platform. With more than 2,000 views from October 2020 to October 2021, Virtual Trauma Education offerings have spread far beyond regional borders, reaching 25 states and 169 communities. CONCLUSION: Virtual Trauma Education delivers easily accessible trauma education and is a program that has proven its sustainability.

The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients

“…Hemorrhage is responsible for 30-40% of trauma mortality. 2 The state of Montana (Figure 1A) encompasses over 147,000 square miles with approximately 7 people per square mile, 6 which truly defines rural health care as it is known in the United States today. This vast area is punctuated by pockets of health care availability with varying access to blood products for transfusion and surgical care.…”